Portrait Of General Adjutant, Count Adolf Aminoff, Sketch 1875 - 1876

Albert Edelfelt painted this oil sketch of General Adjutant Count Adolf Aminoff. The painting, while a portrait, is also a study of a particular kind of surface texture. The brisk, visible brushstrokes capture the likeness of the Count, but also show the way that the thick application of oil paint can create a material surface of its own. We might even say that the materiality of the painting competes with the status of the sitter for our attention. Edelfelt was clearly interested in the way that the heavy impasto of paint could convey the texture of the Count’s uniform and the weight of the honors he wears, transforming mere fabric into symbols of military and social power. The way that the artist applied this kind of material sensitivity elevates the status of the Count. By considering how Edelfelt worked with his materials, we can see that this painting does much more than simply record the Count’s features. It also actively constructs his identity.